Ask The Stylist – Justine King Talks Spring Summer 2014 Trends

Spring summer dressing can prove difficult, especially given our unpredictable climate... consisting of rain, wind and well, more rain. Luckily, we have called in a few tips from Justine King, stylist extraordinaire, who certainly knows her stuff. She's learned many a trade trick at New York Fashion Week working with Vera Wang and Proenza Schouler... need we say anymore?! Justine has also styled shoots for Irish publications including U magazine and The Fair while regularly contributing to Xposé and Ireland AM. Justine says... With every fashion season comes a new set of trends, most of which look fantastic on a 6ft catwalk model but ridiculous on the rest of us. Whilst you may not have need for a sheer skirt on the school run or a gold lamé jumpsuit at the office, there is a way to adapt each of this season’s top catwalk trends to suit your personal taste and lifestyle. Here are my top picks for embracing Spring/Summer 2014 trends. Pastels As a Personal Stylist I know that most Irish women avoid ice cream shades like the plague for fear of looking ‘washed out’ but this doesn’t have to be the case, even if you are naturally pale. Those with a cooler skin tone should embrace icy shades of blue and mint green which will actually complement your colouring rather than wash it out. Warmer complexions should stick to hues with an underlying yellow influence, so embrace this season’s hyper pastel shades like peach, coral and lemon. If you still feel sorbet shades drain you, then break them up by trying a pastel skirt or jean and stick to stronger colours close to the face. A Classic White Shirt If you are to invest in one item this season then let a classic white shirt be it. For spring it is all about the oversized but sharply structured silhouettes, so throw out the classic cropped secretary style you may be used to, opting instead for a longer boyfriend fit. Wear with tapered trousers for the office, out over skinny jeans on your day off and tucked into a fitted pencil or mini skirt for Saturday night glamour. Metallics Metallics are having a major fashion moment for SS14, being featured across the catwalks on everything from day dresses to biker jackets. Pick the hue that best suits you (silver for cooler skin tones; gold for warm) or feel free to mix metallics if you’re fashion forward. Embrace the return of rose gold, which particularly suits Irish women as it complements the natural pink hue in our skin. If a metallic mini skirt isn’t your thing then keep your look neutral and go bold with your bling, opting for a metallic clutch, iridescent heels or some statement costume jewellery. Sports Luxe Sports Luxe is one of those trends nobody thought would last and yet here it is again for another season. This time around it is a little less urban and a little more dressy, presented as evening wear from luxury labels like Gucci and Prada. If you’re not feeling the visor look (one of the standout accessories for SS14) then try a silk bomber jacket or some dressy track pants then keep the rest of the look smart and tailored, nailing the trend without looking like a genuine athlete. The Dressy Flat There is great news for heel haters as the ‘it’ shoe this season is a dressy flat. From Perspex brogues at Simone Rocha to jewelled sandals at Valentino, pack away your sky scraper stilettos (for now!) because this summer it is all about glamorous comfort. If you can’t help but feel underdressed without your heels then compensate by mixing two trends at once and trying a metallic shoe that is sure to jazz up your look.